Op endicott



March 1933- 1.. c. BISHOP El AL 1302,

AAAAAA CK March 21, 1933. L. c. BISHOP El AL CARD RACK Filed Sept. 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 21, 1933. L. c. BISHOP ET AL 1,902,

Patented Mar. 21, 1933 umreo sures PATENT oFFIce LEON 01min Bisnonor BINGHAMTON, AND snwhnn EUGENE swioiaor Ennioo'r'r. NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS To INTERNATIONAL TIMEnEcon-nme CQMPANY or New YORK, or nnnxco rnnnw YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEwYonK oAn'n RACK Application filed September 5, ias'lflseriaiin; 561,368.

This invention relates to card racks and more particularly to the type of racks used for holding workmans time cards for making up payrolls.

In many large manufacturing plants where a weekly payroll is made up it is undesirable to wait until the end of the Week before being appraisedof the information on the payroll time clock. Accordingly a clerk is sent 1 around to inspect the cards at all of the time recorder stations each day and this clerk takes the cards out of each rack one at a time and inspects them to note any irregularities appearing on the card, making a record of the same in a suitable time book if any such irregularities occur, and then replacing the cards in their respective pockets. This is a time consuming operation and it is the purpose of this invention to provide a card rack to facilitate the removal of these cards so as to reduce the time required for this checking operation to a minimum.

It is also customary in many manufacturing organizations to lock the card racks so that the cards are inaccessible during the night and also to lock the make after certain hours of the day so that persons who are extremely late in arriving or leave unusually early during normal working periods, cannot immediately gain access to their time cards but will have to apply to the foreman to unlock the rack if they are to have a complete record shown on their'card. This gives the foreman an opportunity to check up on the cause of continuous occurrences ofthis na-' ture. To do this has always required the locking of every rack section individually. In the applicants arrangement the racks are swung face to the wall which renders the cards therein inaccessible and the locking of one rack only causes all other racks to become interlocked sothat they cannot be swung into accessible position. p

An object of this invention is to provide a card rack constructed in such a way that: all of the cards may be removed from the rack in one operation. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a card rack having a channel or passage 66 in Fig. 3.

intermediate the supports for cards to facilitate removal of'cards placed therein;

Still another object. is to provide a card rack having adjustable abutting supports whereby the card rack may be adapted to receive diflerent length cards:

Astill further. object of the invention is i compact structure without the use ofsc rews,

bolts Or other separable 'fastenings as far'as possible; Y Y i Another object is to provide means forin creasing the number of rack units as time goes on and the number of workmenusing this 1n a simple way. without structural changes in or alteration of the existing racks. Other objects, advantages, or features of the invention will be more particularly point ed out in the following specification and claims or will be apparent after a study thereof and of the accompanying drawings which show an illustrative form of embo iment of the invention. In the drawings: p Fig, 1 is a front elevation of the assembled cardrack,- one ot the rack units being shown facingforwardly and another facing rearwardly. V I i Fig. 2' is atop plan view of the assembled rack.- V

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the upper end of one of the rack units.

Fig. J' is a vertical section on the line H F g- Q Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 3. 1 I t Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 77 in Fig. 3. p c

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the card stop. v 1 9 is a front elevation of the upper part a particular time clock is increased and to do of the assembled card rack showing all of the rack units in locked position.

The card rack comprises a plurality of individual rack elements or units 10 p-ivotally mounted in a framework, each rack unit being adapted to hold a series. of individual workmans time cards. Only three such rack unitsare illustrated in the drawings but it will be clear that any number might be pro vided according to the number of workmen who must use the rack. Indeed, it is a feature of the present invention that it is possible to increase the capacity of the rack as a whole by adding new rack units as the need becomes apparent without completely disassemblingthe rack, only slight changes being: required to secure increased card ca- H pacity.

Each rack unit, Figs. 3 to 7 is constructed of sheet metal as an integral unit comprising a back plate 11, two front members 12 and 13 mounted in spaced relation upon the back plate 11, a topplate 141 and a'bottom plate 15.

The members 12, 13 extend vertically and lengthwise of the back plate 11 and are substantially U-shaped in horizontal cross-section as shown in Figs. 6 and'7. Each member 12, 13 is provided with flanges 16, 17, which are secured to the back plate 11, the flanges 16 being secured to the rear face of the back plate while the flanges 17 are secured to the front face of the back plate. Any suitable means may be employed in securing the A flanges 16, 17 to the back plate, however, for

reasons of'cheapness of manufacture spot welding is preferred. The top plate 1 1 is provided with a flange 18 extending downwardly and secured to the rear edge of the back plate 11 as by welding and is provided with a much longer flange '19 projecting downwardly in front of the upper ends of the members 12, 13 and secured to the latter by spot welding. Both members 12, 13'have a tongue or tab 20 which is bent over the flange l9 and assists in holding together said flange and members 12, 13.

Each of the members 12, 13 is stamped from a single piece of sheet metal and subsequently folded to the cross-sectional shapes shown in Fig. 6 and in their assembled relation provide an open channel or passage 21 extending longitudinally of the rack. This channel, or passage constitutes one of the novel features of the invention and is provided for the purpose of permitting a clerk with one sweep of his handto remove all the cards at once.

When the members 12, 13 are stamped from sheet metal, a series of V-shaped slots are stamped therein and disposed in herringbone fashion on the sheet metal plates comprising said members so that when the members'12, 13 are subsequently folded and assembled on the back plate 11" there will be provided in the assembled rack two rows of into their appropriatepositions in the slots Each time card is slipped into a pair of slots 23 and is guided by the lips 24 down into the corresponding pair of slots 22 which support the cards and permit insertion or removal of any individual card without. disturbing the others. downwardly and prevented from slipping sidewise in the slots 22, 23 by the outside walls of members 12, 13, A suitable number plate25 above each pair of slots 23- identifies the workmans card belongingin that slot, the right hand member 13 being somewhat wider than the member 12 in order to allow room for the number plates 25.

W hen a clerk wishes to remove the cards for the purpose of inspecting them for irregular time registrations or to replace the cards, he merely has to insert hisflngers in the channel '21 beneath the edge of the lowermost card and then raise his hand with a quick sweeping movement, soas to carry up all cards in the slots, meanwhile permitting the cards to slip-into the palm of his hand. As a consequence of this operation all the cards will be removed together and in one packet with the highest numbered card in front. As the part of thecard receiving the time imprints usually faces rearwards when placed in either the time clock or the card rack, the packet of cards maybe turned over and the time records of the workman inspected in numerical order.

One of the features of the invention is the provision of means whereby various sizes of cards may be accommodated in the rack units. Time cards vary as to length which depends on the duration of the period during which the card is to be used, that is some cards are large enough to receive time entries for a period of two weeks, others only time entries for one week. A firm making up its payroll weekly may decide to make it up every two weeksor every month. The card racks hithertoconstructed had no provisions for' adapting them for longer or shorter cards and when it was desired to use cards of a different lengthit was formerly The cards are guided.

"3 the rack. For this purpose there is provided a card abutment bar 26 for each member 12, 13 which bar is removably secured on the outside of the walls of said members forming on the lug 27. The lugs are so disposed on the bar 26 that they will be in vertical alignment when bent-over lugs 28 formed in the ends of the bars 26 are sprung into suitably located holes 29 in the walls of the channel 21 so as to hold the bar 26v in a vertical position. A number of such holes 29 are provided and are so disposed that the bar 26 may be positioned to accommodate various lengths of card by simply springing the lugs 28 from the holes 29, and sliding the bars 26 in a direction to carry the lugs 27 longitudinally of the slots 22 until the lugs 28in said bars slip into the holes appropriate to the size of card to be used.

Provision has been made for readily changing the rack units to adapt them to receive cards for either in-coming or out-going workmen. The flange 19 of each rack unit has cut therein a rectangular opening 30 behind which is a slide 31 bearing the words. j IN and OUT in large type. The slides 31 are guided by virtue of the fact that a portion of the material of the members 12, 13 is cut out at 32 before folding said members so that the slides 31 move in notches in the edges of the walls forming the channel 21 and are guided by the edges of the'cut out portion 32 in'the members 12, 13. The draw: ings show the word IN as being visible through the opening 30, that is, the rack is arranged to receive the cards of ill-coming workmen. Should it be desired to use the rack for receiving the cards of out oing workmen it is merely necessary to sip a finger behind the flange 19 and within the channel 21 and then shift the slide until the word OUT' is visible through opening 30.

When the number of workmen using a particular time clock is not large and less than the capacity of an individual rack unit 10, said unit may be mounted upon the wall or other support upon which the time clock is mounted. For this purpose there is provided irregular holes 33 in the back plates 11.

Under ordinary circumstances it may be necessary to provide several such rack units.

in order to accommodate a larger'number of cards than one rack unit can receive. When more than one rack unit is used, it is advantageous to pivotally mount the rack units in a suitable frame or other support which will permit turning said units face to the wall and locking them in 'that position during certain time intervals, usually normal working hours, so that workmen arriving late or leaving early will be obliged to go to the foreman and have him unlock the rack before registering the time of arrival or departure on their time cards. Accordingly, each rack unit has associated therewith a pair of brackets 34 each having staked thereto a pivot 35 which pivots are journalled'in suitable holes in the top plate 14 and bottom plate 15 so that rack units may be turned'face to'the wall.

In order to lock the rack units in position the right hand unit 10 is provided with a flange 36 (Figs. 1 and 2) which has two holes 8 V 37 diametrically oppositeto the upper pivot 35 of said unit. Cooperating with the holes in the flange 36 is thebolt of a lock 38 by means of which the right hand rack unit may be locked either face out or face to the supporting wall. The .two left hand rack units 10 in Fig. 1 are adapted to be raised slightly on their pivots and are provided with holes 39 which register with studs 40 when the units are turned face to the wall in which position said studs 40 project intothe holes 39 and prevent said racks from being turned face forward unless the rack units are first lifted to remove the studs 40 from registration with the holes'and thereafter turned.

In order to lock the two left hand units 10,

therefore, it is merely necessary to prevent said units from being raised and this; is accomplished by means of plates 41 secured to the tops of all the units. The plates 41 are so disposed on the rack units 10 that when all of the units have been turned face to the wall as in Fig. 9 and the right hand unit locked by means of the key 42, said plates overlap the tops of the adjacent rack units and prevent raising said units to remove the pins 40 from register with the holes 39.

. It will be seen that only one lock and key controls the locking of all three rack units audit will be obvious that regardless of the number of rack units in the assembled-rack all may be locked securely by merely'turning them face to the wall and locking the right hand unit in the manner described.

It will be clear, of course, that the construction just described is only illustrative as by a slight re-arrangement of the parts the left hand rack unit 10 may be used to lock the creases in the number of workmen using the time recorder with which said rack is associated. For this purpose the brackets 34 are so constructed that additionalrack units may be added to the left of the existing rack units illustrated in Fig. 1. As shownin Figs. 1 and 2, the brackets 34 are in over-lapping lngs,

relation and arefastenedin place by "means of screws 43 which pass through two adjacent over-lapping brackets 34 and secure both of them firmly to the supporting wall. Studs 4a staked in each upper bracket extend into suitable holes in the next adjacent bracket to the right so as to hold said brackets in proper spaced relation. 7

The left hand pair of brackets34c is joined byimeans of an angle member 45 which, together with the brackets 34, forms a suitable frame for the rack units, said angle member 45 having a slot out therein to receive the plate 41 on left hand rack unit 10 when said unit is turned face to the wall, the slot being large enough to permit the left hand unit to be raised when it is desired to turn the face outward.

When it is desired to add more units to the assembled rack, it is merely necessary to remove the angular member 45 and slip a pair of additional brackets 34 under the already existing left hand bracket shown and screw said brackets in place as shown in said drawafter first slipping said brackets over the pivots 35 of the new rack unit. 'Ihe'angular member 45 may then be attached to the new pair of brackets 34. By this simple procedure as many rack units as desired may be added to the existing units and these additional units may be locked in the same fashion as the other rack units by turning them face to the wall and allowing the pins 40 of said rack units to register with the holes 39.

This invention has been illustrated and described by means of a specific form of embodiment, however, it is not limited to the specific form shown as modifications or variations may be introduced as occasion demands, all such modifications or variations being within the scope of the following claims: I

1. A card rack unit, comprising anintegral sheet metal structure including a base member, a pair of hollow box-like members integrally secured to said base member in spaced relation so as toform a channel, the walls of said members forming the channel being provided with parallel inclined straight slots adapted to freely removably support the cards in overlapping relation, said channel being arranged to permit manual removal of all cards at one operation by a vertical sweeping movement of the fingers of the operator inserted in said channel.

2. In a card rack unit,"a pair of parallel walls in spaced relation and having slots adapted to receive and support cards, and an adjustable abutment bar carried by one of 7 said walls and having lugs extending into said slots upon which lugs the cards rest. i

3. In combination, a plurality of rack units, a support for said units, said rack units being pivotally mounted in said support and adapted to be turned face thereto so as to prevent access to the cards, and means whereby thelocking of one of said units face to the support locks the others face to the support.

4. In combination, a plurality of pivotally mounted rack units arranged to be turned face rearwards and locked by a combined longitudinal and rotary movement relative to the axis of the pivots therefor whereby to prevent access to thecards, said rack units having an interlocking relation with each other when turned face rearward, and means for locking one of said units face rearwards thereby looking all of the remaining units by virtue of the interlocking relation of said unit with the remaining units.

5. In combination, a series of rack units each having an interlocking relation with the adjacent rack units, said rack units being adapted to be turned face rearwards in predetermined order, and means for locking the lowest rack unit of the series face rearwards whereby to lock the remaining rack units in said position by virtue of the interlocking relation between adjacent units.

6. In a card rack, a series of rack units each adapted to support a group of cards, a pair of supporting brackets for each rack unit adapted to pivotally support said unit to permit the latter to be turned face rearward, each pair ofbrackets having a locking pin cooperating with a hole in the associated rack unit to hold said unit face rearward, said unit being disengageable from said pin by a combined lifting and pivotal movement of the unit, means for locking one of said units face rearward, and means carried by each rack unit and having an over-lapping relation with the next adjacent unit for preventing movement of the adjacent unit to disengage the latter from its locking pin whereby the locking face forward of the unit having the locking means effects locking of the other-units in said position.

' 7. A card rack unit, comprising a support, and a pair of card supporting members mounted in spaced relation on said support, said members being hollow boxlike structures intransverse section and secured by parallel flanges to the support and having parallel opposing walls provided with inclined straight slots, for freely removably supporting the cards, in overlapping relation, said opposing walls together forming a channel permitting removal of all of the cards at a single operation.

8. A. card rack unit, comprising a support, a pair of card supporting members mounted in spaced relation in said support, each memher having inclined parallel slots coact'ing with similar slots in the other for supporting the cards, and a member adj ustably mounted in one of said card supporting members adjacent said slots for adapting the rack to support different sizes of cards.

9. card rack unit comprising a support,

a pair of card supporting members mounted in said support and having inclined slots for supporting the cards, and means carried by one of said members for adapting the rack to support different sizes of cards comprising a bar adjustably mounted adjacent the slots and having off-set lugs projecting through the slots upon which lugs the cards rest.

10. In a rack for cards, a support, a plurality of rack units pivotally mounted in said support and adapted to be turned'face forward, means for holding said units face rearward anddisengageable by a lifting and pivotal movement of the rack units, the latter having an over-lapping relation when in said position, requiring one of said units to be turned face forward before the adjacent units one pocket adapted to receive a card and adjustable means co-operating therewith for varying the size of a pocket whereby to accomodate thelatter to receive varying sizes of cards. 7

In testimony whereof we hereto affix our signatures.

LEON GRAIN BISHOP. I SEWARD EUGENE SWIOK.

can be disengaged from the holding means,

and means for locking the last named unit face rearward thereby preventing the other units from being turned face forward.

11. In a rack for cards, a series of rack units, each adapted to be turned face forward, means individual to each unit for holding said units face rearward, said rack units having an over-lapping relation requiring the units to be turned face forward in a predetermined order to efiect release of the holding means, and means for locking one of said units face rearward whereby to prevent said units from being turned face forward in the predetermined order.

12. A rack for cards comprising a support, a plurality of rack units mounted in said support and adapted to be positioned to face rearwardly or forwardly, means for holding one of said units face rearward, means carried by another of said units for preventing disengagement of the holding means when said units are held face rearward, and means for locking the last named unit face rearward thereby to prevent positioning said units forwardly.

' 13. A card rack unit having a pair of spaced parallel walls, one of said walls being slotted to support and guide the cards, and

adjustable means carried by one of said walls and coacting with said slots for adapting the ulnit to support difi'erent sizes of cards in said s ots.

14. A card rack unit having parallel walls in spaced relation and provided with slots adapted to support the cards, and means-carried by one of said walls for adjusting the rack unit to accommodate different sizes of cards. 7

15. A card rack unit comprising a pair of spaced parallel members adapted to support cards, and a member adjustably mounted on one of said spaced members for accommodating said spaced members to different lengths of cards, said adjustably mounted member having a plurality of spaced abutments upon which the cards rest. 7

16. A card rack unit comprising at least 

